Memories of 1999 - 2001

Memories of 1999 - 2001

Ernesto Cortazar II1999, a year when my father's music went online. That year on August, I found MP3.com, a website dedicated to unsigned artists of different genres. It was a place where you could upload your music and people could listen to it or download it, they were also able to purchase the artist CDs.


 

 

I remember when I saw this site, the structure it had, the popularity charts based on streams and downloads, I decided to ask my father if he would like to try this site uploading his music and see if people would enjoy it. He was a little confused about how people would know his music was there but he gave me permission to try it.

The first CD I uploaded was "Moments of Sol'itude". People started to visit my father's profile on MP3.com and listen to it, leave their comments, write emails. My father was happy to know this was working in some way, then we decided to upload one more CD and see the result.

"Leaves In The Wind" was uploaded and more people started to appear and contact my father. People from USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, UK, Germany and other countries sent him their impressions about his music, this motivated my father to tell me "Ernesto, lets upload all my music and share it".

"On The Top Of The World", "9 Lives Of Innocence" came to live on his site and after those CDs, "Just For You" appeared.

"Just For You" became a very special release as one of the melodies included on this album became the most downloaded melody on MP3.com "Beethoven's Silence". MP3.com statistics showed several days that "Beethoven's Silence" was downloaded/streamed once each second on the site. My father never understood the magnitude of his reach to people through his music, he only was happy to know he was able to share his music to people and give happiness through it.

After "Just For You" 24 more CDs came to live between 1999-2001. In that period of time, I remember my father just seated on his piano, composing one melody followed by another, I have to say that because of you fans and friends, my father lived an amazing era on those years. I cannot find words to thank you all the happiness you brought him.

When MP3.com was acquired by Vivendi Universal on 2001, this site closed for unsigned artists and combined with my father's illness, we paused his music cascade.

My father, his music, that era became magical, I was able to witness how love and sensibility can travel amazing distances through the internet making strong bonds and friendships, making people enjoy and communicate their feelings to others motivated on some notes played in piano. When people say Internet is a cold media I just can reply "It is as cold as you want it to be or as warm as my father's music and his friends/fans connection.

1999 - 2001, an era full of memories that will be in my heart forever.

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